The Future of International Order, a Conversation with Prof. Stephen Stedman

In this video Stephen Stedman joins UNU Rector David M. Malone for a conversation exploring the current cooperative international order.
He discusses how it is positioned to support democratic governments and face the political forces of nationalism currently garnering more power and interests in different parts of the world.

The last three decades have seen the greatest creation of wealth and alleviation of poverty that the world has ever experienced, with real progress being achieved in food security, health, and education. Yet, one would be hard-pressed to know these facts because a powerful counter-narrative is ascendant: one of disorder, chaos, and violence. This powerful narrative feeds the single greatest threat to the current cooperative international order: the rise of nationalist populism in Europe and the United States. In this context, can we expect democratic governments to support and pursue economic and security cooperation? Or will the political forces of nationalism lead to a rejection of the international cooperation needed for peace and prosperity?

About the speaker

Stephen Stedman is the deputy director of the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (CDDRL), and senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. At CDDRL, he directs the Project on American Democracy in Comparative Perspective, which examines the sources and extent of polarisation and paralysis in Western democracies.

From 2010 to 2012 Prof Stedman served as the director of the Global Commission on Elections, Democracy and Security, a body of eminent individuals tasked with developing recommendations for promoting and protecting the integrity of elections.

In 2005 Prof Stedman served as Assistant Secretary-General and Special Advisor to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. He worked with governments to adopt recommendations proposed by the UN High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change for strengthening collective security, and implemented changes within the UN Secretariat, including the creation of the Peacebuilding Support Office, the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, and the Policy Committee to act as a cabinet to the Secretary-General. From 2003 to 2004 Prof Stedman was the research director of the Panel.

Prof Stedman has written widely on transnational threats and international security. His current work explores the historical development of the concept of security, and how its meanings have changed over time. He received his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees from Stanford University. He and his wife, Corinne Thomas, are resident fellows in Crothers Hall — Stanford’s academic residence themed around global citizenship.

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[danwroy]

Stellar video quality even though aesthetically it's stark and weird. I haven't been as unnerved by a set on a political program since watching PBS for too long when I was a kid.

[dougspray]

The world has certainly improved over the last 60 years or so, with people being lifted out of poverty as the speaker says. But it surely could have been much faster. We are too complacent in the West. The Free Market and Democracy is our way of abolishing poverty, but do we not have to admit China's abolishing poverty over the last 50 years makes the West's efforts look feeble. This is my first experience of this network. The speakers and chairman are very gentlemanly and articulate and obviously support the status quo. Could a few more dynamic speakers be introduced who question America's style and policies of policing the world and its very suspect Constitution and way of life it recommends. Is there not a strong argument that America quiets down a little and consider that other styles of governent should be given merit for very worthy achievements.